Finding A Family Photographer

Two Tips On Finding A Family Photographer

If you have never taken professional portraits, it can be a daunting task to find a family photographer. Here are a couple of tips on how to find the perfect fit for your family portraits.

Photographers Have Specialties – Make Sure It Matches What You Are Looking For

One of the first tips I could give anyone looking for a Photographer is to understand that ALL Photographers specialize in certain genres. A Portrait Photographer typically will not also do real estate photography. And a real estate Photographer may not photograph people. Understanding this is very important.

Along these same lines, a Portrait Photographer may have more experience photographing certain things. For example, a lot of Photographers may not photograph newborns at all. And just because someone photographs weddings does not mean that they also shoot families. Believe it or not, these are two completely different genres that require a different skill set. Photographing weddings requires great instincts in capturing events, posing, and creativity. A Family Photographer must be VERY good with interacting with kids and getting them out of their shells. They must also be able to do this with large groups and adults.

Can You Envision Yourself In The Images In Their Portfolio?

A very good question to ask yourself is if you can envision your family in the types of images you see in the Photographer’s portfolio. Photographers should have a style that is very apparent in the images on their website. Some Photographers deliver images that are very posed, and focus on the perfectly manicured image that is enhanced heavily in post production. People are smiling but it does not seem natural… this may be the types of images you really like. Or you may be more focused on capturing genuine and candid moments that do not feel rehearsed. I tend to focus on delivering images that bring out people’s personality. While I spend time editing all of my images, I do not overly edit the final images in the post production process.

The one mistake that you do not want to make is finding a Photographer and trying to get them to deliver images that are contrary to their style. Showing them images that another Photographer has captured and trying to get them to mimic their style is one of the worse things you can do. Chances are, this may offend the Photographer and there is a good chance that the final images will not be what you envisioned.

Hopefully these were some useful tips. If you are interested in family portraits, I would love to connect. The best way to reach me is through the contact form on my website. Thanks!